Leading Bharatanatyam dancers are poised to present the traditional classical Indian dance in fresh modern settings, using inventive approaches stylised to reach out to fresh and diverse audiences, in a new festival.
Three top contemporary dancers — Rama Vaidyanathan, Meenakshi Srinivasan and Mythili Prakash — have been roped in for the maiden event in the capital of The Divinity Series, a festival that organisers say attempts to “channel all things divine”.
“I have handpicked dancers for this festival. Each of them are fabulous and at the top of their careers. Each of them has a different approach and will present different nuances to the traditional dance form,” Jyotsana Shourie, who conceptualised and organised the event along with husband and industry veteran Deepak Shourie, told PTI.
The three-day festival scheduled to begin from September 27 at the Chinmaya Mission is set to incorporate modern concert details like program notes for the audience.
US-based Mythili Prakash, who has been introducing and presenting the dance form to audiences in the West, including United States, Canada, Europe and the Middle East plans to showcase a selection of pieces that hold central to them the concept of “divinity” as she perceives it.
“The art form is really one of the most comprehensive, dynamic, vibrant, and elevating forms that I have ever experienced. The physicality, theatricality, musicality, and simultaneous inherent spirituality make it a shining art form that can completely transport the viewer,” Prakash said.
Srinivasan who is based in Chennai and also an architect by training, is excited about the evolution of the traditional dance form.
“The society has changed now. I think each artist has her own personal exploration of art and a lot more artists are exploring now. It does not mean that the art has changed it is only evolving,” she said.
For the Divinity Series, the dancer has prepared a performance that combines poetry and literature. “It is a exploration of characters from various regions of the country. The main concept remains Shringara Bhava or adoration of the divine but the lyrics are in different languages by poets,” Srinivasan said.
Meanwhile, Delhi-based Vaidyanathan, opens the festival with a recital that presents the dance of a peacock. The Divinity Series is self financed by the Shourie couple and is being promoted through various social networks. “The idea came to us out of the blue. I am a trained dancer, practising from the age of six. My husband has expertise and years of experience in organising various events so we thought of doing this festival as a husband wife team and thought of starting with Bharatnatyam,” Jyotsana said. “We wanted to reach out to the lay person who might not be going in for Bharatnatyam performances. In the process we have tried to reach out with additions like programme notes and tried to not make the event laborious by cutting down speeches and ensuring that programmes start on time,” Jyotsana said. The organisers also said they wanted to see how the event panned out before proceeding further. “We want to do it to the best of our ability. Once it works we may do it in other cities too and perhaps add to it music and other events that makes one feel divine,” Jyotsana said.